Review of Berlin: Symphony of a Great City (1927) by Martin T — 01 Jun 2010
A montage of scenes and moments from a day in the life of Berlin, one of several "city symphony" films that were popular at the time. Ruttmann employs a rhythmic editing style reminiscent of the Soviets, particularly Vertov.
The film has a great deal of lyricism and poetry to it, and Ruttmann has a fantastic eye. Unfortunately, he doesn't really do a whole lot with the medium. There aren't that many moments where you think "I wonder why he made that decision" or "oh that was a clever transition".
It has a very natural flow to it without many surprises. Also, the first three acts (he divides the day into 5 sections) can get a bit repetitive, especially with all the shots of trains. But things pick up towards the end, including a fantastic cabaret scene.
All in all, it's a lovely film, but not as thought-provoking as The Man With the Movie Camera.
This review of Berlin: Symphony of a Great City (1927) was written by Martin T on 01 Jun 2010.
Berlin: Symphony of a Great City has generally received very positive reviews.
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